IDA

Intraspecific Diversity and Adaptability of Fucus vesiculosus at range limits

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Intraspecific genetic diversity is the ‘raw material’ that allows species to adjust to a changing world. For predictions of the effects of Global Change, it is crucial to know if low genetic diversity is a result of local adaptation (i.e. if a species has experienced strong selection), or if other processes are responsible. The Baltic Sea is an extreme marine environment and its extreme temperature and salinity gradients are likely to be strong selective forces. A recent review revealed that for many Baltic Sea species, intraspecific genetic diversity was lower than in the North Sea or Atlantic. It remains unknown, however, if genetic diversity declines with increases in environmental stress and/or if marginal populations (assumed to experience highest selection) show the lowest genetic diversity. The proposed research focuses on the selective forces behind diversity loss in the bladder-wrack, Fucus vesiculosus L., a canopy forming keystone species in the Baltic Sea. On the other hand, ecological consequences (i.e. population adaptability) of a changed diversity at distributional edges will be examined. We will study changes in genetic diversity associated with various stresses by first examining the population genetic diversity and structure of F. vesiculosus along the environmental gradients in the Baltic Sea, focusing on latitudinal edges, edges within estuaries and edges on slopes. Secondly, we will conduct laboratory experiments that challenge germlings of F. vesiculosus with different stresses (temperature, salinity, light and nutrient levels). The fitness of different genotypes will be examined under different environments and interactions between factors will be tested. Additionally, genetic diversity of germling populations will be varied to test whether more diverse populations are more tolerant to stress. Finally, in collaboration with other laboratories we will search for genetic polymorphisms that are directly linked to genes with putative function.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Genetic diversity within a single species is known as intraspecific diversity and may hold the key to understanding how a species can adapt to changes in their environment. To predict the effects of global warming scientists must know if low genetic diversity is due to adaptation to the local environment, or some other form of selective pressure.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Extreme environments such as the Baltic Sea are expected to strongly favour those organisms best adapted to the region's enormous ranges of temperature and salinity. A recent review highlighted that many species living in the Baltic Sea demonstrated lower intraspecific diversity than in the North Sea or Atlantic. Therefore, the question arises whether genetic diversity decreases due to environmental stress or if marginal populations have the lowest levels genetic diversity.

With funding from the EU, the IDA project is investigating the selective forces behind the loss of genetic diversity in bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus) a common seaweed and key species in the Baltic. Project partners are also conducting laboratory-based experiments on F. vesiculosus to determine the fitness of different genomes. Temperature and salinity influence successful germination in F. vesiculosus, with sensitivity to temperature varying among genotypes.

Scientists searched for genetic polymorphism, the existence of two or more different forms within the same species, in F. vesiculosus by examining its response to herbivore activity. The researchers investigated the genetic basis of anti-herbivore defence, when the seaweed produces metabolites in response to attack by sea snails. The results will help prove that an ecofunctional genomics approach can be used to achieve new insights into the defence mechanisms of seaweed.

Data collected by the IDA consortium will, therefore, help determine just one of the many expected effects of global warming on species - genetic diversity.